No. 21 Indiana Comes Back to Top Ohio State in 10 Innings

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After taking a 2-0 lead into the ninth inning, the Ohio State baseball team dropped a 7-2 decision to No. 21 Indiana Friday evening at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium. With the loss the Buckeyes fall to 34-20, 15-8 in Big Ten play, while the Hoosiers move to 39-13 and earn at least a share of the Big Ten title with a 16-7 record.

“We aren’t happy and we have a sour taste in our mouth but we still have a chance for a share of a championship,” Ohio State head coach Greg Beals said. “We have one game with Jaron Long on the mound playing for a Big Ten title and we’re excited for our opportunity tomorrow.”

After Ohio State starter Brian King tossed a perfect first, capped by a great catch in the right-center gap by Joe Ciamacco, the Buckeyes threatened against Indiana starter Aaron Slegers in the bottom of the first. Ciamacco led off with a line-drive single to center, Kirby Pellant followed with a bunt single and Brad Hallberg sacrificed the runners to second and third with a bunt. However, Slegers struck out Pat Porter looking and was able to get Jacob Bosiokovic to ground out to third to keep the game scoreless after an inning of play.

The Buckeyes put runners at first and second with one down in the bottom of the second after Aaron Gretz reached on a single when he hit a hard grounder off the foot of Mike Carroll, who led off the inning with a single and Tim Wetzel was then hit by a pitch. Troy Kuhn followed with a hard-hit grounder to third but the Hoosiers rolled a 5-3 double play to keep the Buckeyes off the board again.

After a scoreless third, Ohio State was able to get on the board when Porter lined a shot back up the middle off the glove of Indiana shortstop Michael Basil and into right-center for a double, advanced to third on a fly ball to right for Bosiokovic and scored on a chopper back through the box by Carroll. After a single by Gretz and a fielder’s choice by Wetzel, Kuhn lined a two-out single back up the middle to score Carroll for the 2-0 Ohio State advantage after four frames.

The Hoosiers put something together against King in the top of the fifth when Basil led off the inning with a double off the wall in left and moved to third on a fly out by Dustin DeMuth. However, King bounced back with a strikeout of Casey Smith and got Chad Clark to hit a come-backer to the mound to end the threat.

Indiana rallied again in the top of the seventh when back-to-back singles by Basil and DeMuth put runners at the corners with one down. King was then able to get Smith to pop out to second before Brett McKinney came on in relief. DeMuth stole second to put runners at second and third but the Buckeye senior right-hander delivered a huge strikeout of pinch-hitter Ricky Alfonso to preserve the 2-0 lead.

McKinney retired Chris Sujka for the first out of the top of the eighth before giving way to Ryan Riga. Riga walked pinch-hitter Will Nolden and a groundout by Kyle Schwarber moved Nolden to second before Trace Dempsey came on with two down. The sophomore right-hander was then able to strike out Sam Travis to keep the Buckeyes on top 2-0.

After the Buckeyes went down in order in the bottom of the eighth, the Hoosiers were able to get to Dempsey in the top of the ninth. Scott Donley singled up the middle to lead off the inning and scored on a double down the left-field line by Basil. Dempsey then struck out DeMuth for the first out of the inning but a stolen base by Basil and a walk to Smith put Hoosiers at the corners with one down. Nick Ramos followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Basil and tie the game at 2-2 before Dempsey was able to get out of the inning.

The Hoosiers retired Ohio State in order in the bottom of the ninth before taking the lead off Ohio State reliever Greg Greve in the top of the 10th. After Schwarber flew out to center to lead off the inning, Travis walked and Donley singled through the left side on a perfectly-executed hit and run to put runners at the corners with one out. Basil then laid down a squeeze bunt to first to score Travis and give the Hoosiers their first lead of the game. Ramos then dealt the big blow with a grand slam to right to put Indiana up 7-2. The Buckeyes got a single from Ciamacco in the bottom half but nothing else.

Gretz tallied three hits for the Buckeyes while Ciamacco and Carroll each recorded two. Halstead picked up the win to move to 3-3 on the season while Greve suffered the loss to drop to 4-1.

The Buckeyes will have a chance to clinch a share of the Big Ten title with a win over Indiana tomorrow afternoon in the final game of the regular season. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. at Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium.

Game Notes- Aaron Gretz tied a career high with three hits against the Hoosiers.- Mike Carroll notched his seventh multi-hit game of the season.- Joe Ciamacco tallied his 14th multi-hit game of the season.- Brett McKinney tossed. 0.2 scoreless frames and has allowed just one earned run while striking out 21 in 14.2 innings pitched over his last 12 appearances.- Ryan Riga has surrendered one earned run while striking out 11 in 15.2 innings pitched over his last seven appearances.- The announced attendance of 2,257 marked a Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium season high.